This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, to conductive electronic device structures such as structures that form conductive paths for antennas and other electronic device structures.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones and other devices often contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include, for example, cellular telephone transceiver circuits for communicating with cellular telephone networks. Wireless communications circuitry in an electronic device may also include wireless local area network circuits and other wireless circuits. Antenna structures are used in transmitting and receiving wireless signals.
To satisfy consumer demand for small form factor wireless devices, manufacturers are continually striving to implement wireless communications circuitry such as antennas using compact arrangements. At the same time, it may be desirable to include conductive structures such as metal device housing components in an electronic device. Because conductive components can affect radio-frequency performance, care must be taken when incorporating antennas into an electronic device that includes conductive structures. In some arrangements, it may be desirable to use conductive housing structures in forming antenna structures for a device. Doing so may entail formation of electrical connections between different portions of the device. For example, it may be desirable to form an electrical connection between internal device components and a conductive peripheral housing member.
The presence of wireless communications circuitry in environments that contain cameras and other electrical components that can generate interference also poses challenges. If care is not taken, signals from an electronic component source can disrupt the operation of the wireless circuitry.
In view of these challenges, it may be desirable to be able to form electrical connections between different portions of an electronic device. It may, for example, be desirable to bridge a gap in an antenna or to form ground paths that help ground conductive portions of a device and thereby suppress interference.